Binance Buys $100 Million Circle Stake In Five-Year Deal

Binance has invested $100 million U.S. in Circle Internet Group and entered a new five-year agreement to promote the USDC stablecoin. The transaction, revealed in a regulatory filing, marks a significant capital commitment from the privately held exchange to the New York Stock Exchange-listed issuer.

The commercial agreement between the two companies took effect on Sept. 17. Under the terms, Binance purchased 1,237,011 shares of Circle's Class A common stock at a price of $80.84 U.S. per share. The filing noted that this acquisition price was 5% below the market rate at the time of closing.

In exchange for promoting USDC on its platform, Circle will pay Binance a monthly fee calculated as a portion of USDC balances. This structure mirrors previous payment-for-promotion arrangements the companies have maintained since 2024. Richard Teng, CEO of Binance, described the $100 million investment and five-year commitment as representing long-duration conviction in a statement.

The new arrangement includes specific restrictions on Binance's holdings. For two years, or until the commercial deal ends under specified conditions, Binance is barred from selling, pledging, or hedging its Circle shares.

Following the announcement, Circle's stock rose 2%. However, the share price has declined 11% since the company went public in June 2025. Binance remains privately held, and its stock does not trade on a public exchange.